As we walked into the dining room, the aroma of roasting venison and hardy stew wafted from the kitchen. My appetite rushed back with a vengeance and I was eager to sample Caleb’s hard work. Then I noticed a man at the end of the table dressed in buckskin with long brown hair. I stopped dead in my tracks, staring at one of my patron gods, Cernunnos, horned lord of the hunt.
“My lord, Cernunnos,” I said, curtsying and pulling Kaira down into a curtsy as well.
The man snorted and stood, “I see you know my half-brother. While I like to think I have the better looks, he is still better known with the ladies. I am Herne.”
I looked at him again, taking in his build and dress. He looked to be in his prime, perhaps mid-thirties, but his eyes held a timeless quality, full of deep knowledge. “Forgive me, I didn’t realize any of the Tuatha Dé Danann were here.” I said, trying to give Kaira as much studdle information as I dared.
“That is a tale for after dinner.
Back in my room, Kiara collapsed on the bed, “Everything I grew up knowing feels like a lie! You said he was one of the Tuatha Dé Danann? You mean he is like Morrigan, and the others?” I simply nodded. “You know I still have not wrapped my mind around all of that. I grew up thinking Ballar was like a god to our pack. There was some mention of Herne but we never learned about the rest. If I had not gone there myself and seen them face to face, I don’t know I would ever believe all of that.” Kiara said, holding her head in her hands. I realized just how much insanity had happened in the last few weeks. We both had enough life experience with things that were out of the ordinary that our minds were open enough to accept some of this but it was still massive. “I think it is a lot for both of us. I honestly didn’t believe in half the things my coven taught up until a few weeks ago. I guess I always believed in Morrigan, but it was more of a guardian angel
My readers have spoken and I need to finish this tale and do it right. I will not be releasing new chapters for a while yet, but know that I have finished book one of Rejected Billionaire so now my goal is to FINISH this book before the end of 2022. it now has my undivided attention and I will be writing as often as I can. I have learned that it is better for me not to release chapters untill I am done, so I will be rough drafting for now, doing a hard edit and then working with some beta readers to make sure this ends up being the best tale I can offer. Again, you all are amazing. please keep holding on a bit longer and I hope to complete this tale for you with some great chapters. I will not be starting any other tales until this one is complete. I would LOVE to see in the comments anything you want to see happen, who you are shipping hard, and how much spice you want.
Alaska, 1950On a cloudless December night, the stars shone brightly in the sky over northern Alaska. The moon was nowhere to be seen. Tonight would truly be a moonless night then. A woman screamed from within the cabin and midwives hurried to tend the pregnancy.“Agnus, are the wards secure?”“Yes, and we have several hunters standing guard.”“Damn, why couldn’t the child come a day earlier. What a fates forsaken night. May the three-faced goddess still watch over us in this dark hour.”The birthing was hard and it wasn’t until the darkest hour of the night that the villagers heard the tell-tale cry of a baby girl pierce the night air. She had a healthy set of lungs on her, that was for sure.In the corner, the old crone, Enid, who the coven considered their seer, began to shake violently. Her eyes rolled back until only white could be seen. In an eerie chanting lilt, “O
As we approached the village, I felt Makya’s arms wrap around me as he leaned in close, his chin on my shoulder. I shivered at his touch and he held me closer. He then spoke into my ear, just loud enough to be heard over the noise of the sled. “Do I need to drop you at home, or do you want to come to town with us?”I sighed. I was hoping his nearness was one of affection but with Makya, everything was utilitarian. “I probably need to be home. It’s the full moon tonight.”I felt him twist to look at me as he pointed to his ear, indicating he couldn’t hear a word I was saying. I smacked his arm and cupped my hand in a (c), mouth to ear, signing home. I could feel him nod and then raise his arm to signal Dakota. They stopped the dogs a few feet from my aunt’s house, which was situated near the edge of town. The whole coven had built manors out this way and so we had become a community of our own. The native tribe, the Ainnea
Aunt Rihanna seemed hell-bent on keeping me inside this full moon. Perhaps it was the visitor that had her so bent out of shape. Breanna left a bowl of soup for me on the top step around mid-day but they kept the door shut for another full night. I guess it was a good thing I told Makya the day after to come to find me. When the light finally came down the stairs, my stomach was growling so loud, I am amazed it didn’t scare the whole woods to silence. No one was in sight when I climbed the stairs. They must have simply unlocked the door and gone about their lives, not even bothering to check if I was still alive. I dumped my bowl in the kitchen and went to my room. I started throwing on layers and thanked the goddess my idiot family had been kind enough to simply dump my gear on my bed, which meant it was packed and ready, though a bit stale from use. I checked my rifle sleeve and was relieved to find it was all in order. I went to my closet and fished around in the
On the second day of our hunt, Dekota and Eris decided to take their team farther east to look for tracks. It was unlikely they would find any as everything the other hunters have seen told us north but it would be better to have them there to flank north if needed.Makya kept Zophiel circling high above us, scouting for any sights as we raced north. Shortly after noon, Zophiel let out a pieces screech, bringing the team to a halt. I looked up to see Zophiel wheeling over the next ridge.“There is a clearing, what? Around 1000 meters over that rise isn’t there?”Makya looked at a small map he always had with him. “From what I can tell, that should be right. We camped there two summers ago, right?”“That’s what I am thinking.” I climbed out of the sled, already missing its warmth, and pulled out my rifle.“Not taking dad’s gift?” Makya teased.“You are welcome to carry it
I closed my eyes against the biting wind as Makya mushed the team back into motion. Our sled slid along the snow path. We continued north for two more days without seeing signs of a wolf pack in the area and finally turned back southwest toward the village. Makya sent Zophiel to alert Dekota and Eris to meet us along the road. With luck, they would cross our path in a day or two just before the village. As dusk settled on our fifth day out, I built our cook fire while Makya set the tent up. A creek wound its way through the woods not far from our camp, giving the dogs easy access to the cold water. The embers were finally starting to burn off the damp from the snow when the ears of every dog in the team went flat. A low growl resonated from each of their throats as I scanned the tree line. “Makya?!” I said in a loud whisper. He looked over at me, and then to the trees trying to see what the dogs were alerted to. He reached over to the sled and slid out his ri
Green tinted light cut through my eyelids. A heavy weight lay across me, pressing me down into the bedroll. I tried to push it off only to realize it was Makya’s arm. As my eyes adjusted, the canvas tent come into view only inches from my face. Makya must have moved us inside when the fire died down. His warm body was pressed up close against my back.I suppose I could manage to bear the weight of his limbs a little longer. The warm breath against my neck sent a shiver down my spine. Makya stirred and the weight lifted from my chest. My lungs gladly accepted the fresh intake of air, but I let out a groan of displeasure as the warmth of his body moved away from me. Makya rolled out of the bedroll and began pulling on layers without a word.“Time to go already?”“You awake? Well, with your leg injury we need to get you back as soon as possible. I am sending Zophiel to find Dekota and Eris. They need to know about the wolves and how they are
My readers have spoken and I need to finish this tale and do it right. I will not be releasing new chapters for a while yet, but know that I have finished book one of Rejected Billionaire so now my goal is to FINISH this book before the end of 2022. it now has my undivided attention and I will be writing as often as I can. I have learned that it is better for me not to release chapters untill I am done, so I will be rough drafting for now, doing a hard edit and then working with some beta readers to make sure this ends up being the best tale I can offer. Again, you all are amazing. please keep holding on a bit longer and I hope to complete this tale for you with some great chapters. I will not be starting any other tales until this one is complete. I would LOVE to see in the comments anything you want to see happen, who you are shipping hard, and how much spice you want.
Back in my room, Kiara collapsed on the bed, “Everything I grew up knowing feels like a lie! You said he was one of the Tuatha Dé Danann? You mean he is like Morrigan, and the others?” I simply nodded. “You know I still have not wrapped my mind around all of that. I grew up thinking Ballar was like a god to our pack. There was some mention of Herne but we never learned about the rest. If I had not gone there myself and seen them face to face, I don’t know I would ever believe all of that.” Kiara said, holding her head in her hands. I realized just how much insanity had happened in the last few weeks. We both had enough life experience with things that were out of the ordinary that our minds were open enough to accept some of this but it was still massive. “I think it is a lot for both of us. I honestly didn’t believe in half the things my coven taught up until a few weeks ago. I guess I always believed in Morrigan, but it was more of a guardian angel
As we walked into the dining room, the aroma of roasting venison and hardy stew wafted from the kitchen. My appetite rushed back with a vengeance and I was eager to sample Caleb’s hard work. Then I noticed a man at the end of the table dressed in buckskin with long brown hair. I stopped dead in my tracks, staring at one of my patron gods, Cernunnos, horned lord of the hunt. “My lord, Cernunnos,” I said, curtsying and pulling Kaira down into a curtsy as well. The man snorted and stood, “I see you know my half-brother. While I like to think I have the better looks, he is still better known with the ladies. I am Herne.” I looked at him again, taking in his build and dress. He looked to be in his prime, perhaps mid-thirties, but his eyes held a timeless quality, full of deep knowledge. “Forgive me, I didn’t realize any of the Tuatha Dé Danann were here.” I said, trying to give Kaira as much studdle information as I dared. “That is a tale for after dinner.
I awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright. I was alone in a large bed, in a decent size room with a big bay window. Sunlight was streaming in as I glanced down to find I was dressed in a large shirt and little else. I scanned the room and found my green dress draped over a chair. Next to it was a red dress in the same fashion and what looked like the black one Morrigan had given us. I briefly wondered where they might have come from, but dismissed it, realizing if Morrigan wanted us to have them, she would have found a way.I stood up, and grunted at the pain that rocked my body. As I dragged my body out of its sleepy stupor, I realized my arms and legs were covered with bruises and nearly healed cuts. If my experience a few weeks ago with the wolf bite was anything to judge by, I must have been in a serious state not long ago to still be seeing this much damage to my body. My stomach made itself known then, the pangs of hunger gurgling forth. I quickly pulled on the red dre
The brief nap in the tub gripped my body, my eyes begging for more rest. It had been too long since we had been able to sleep in a comfortable and secure place. The large bed called to me, and I laid down, my hair still wrapped in a towel. Kiara joined me a moment later, sliding under the sheets as I made room for her. I opened my arms, and she snuggled in close against my robe. As I held her tight, I thought of Mayka, and what he might do to me, the pleasure he could inflict upon my body if he could join me in this luxurious room.The next morning I awoke to the early morning light. Being east of the mountains for the first time in my life, the sun streamed through the windows far earlier that I was used to. Kiara was cuddled against my chest, her cheek pressed to my bare breast. Sometime in the night, she had snuggled into my robe and we were now pressed together. I wasn’t about to wake her, enjoying her warmth, when a loud pounding sounded on our door, startling the
Kiara leaned against the door as I began to explore the room and I heard a small snick as she bolted the door and added the chain and deadbolt for good measure. “That one was a bit bold.”I smirked, the tension slowly seeping from my shoulders as I took in the grand room we had been put up in. a huge king size four-poster bed took up a good bit of the room, but there was also a couch, a desk, a small table, and a large widow with thick curtains that looked out over the town. “You interested in what he is offering? He may be a few years older than us but I bet he could show you a good time if you wanted.”“No.” she said plainly, not a hint of interest. Her voice almost sounded revolted at the idea.“Is there someone special you are hoping for?” I asked, sitting on the edge of the plush bed and flopping back onto its luxurious comforter.“There is… someone,” She said carefully.&ldquo
The run down the far side of the mountain was swift and at times a harrowing experience as we plunged down steep cliff sides, sliding through thick snow drifts. Stella and Sierra’s thick fur was all that kept us from being torn to pieces as branches and brambles flicked overhead. As the sun began its decent in the afternoon, we finally crashed out of the woods and onto a well traveled road. Tucker in his wolf form led us to the rear of town to a small barn where his wolf crashed into his chest.Tucker had been sitting cross legged in the barn atop a pile of straw and suddenly opened his eyes as Kiara and I shifted back into our human forms.“Ah, ladies. Good to see you whole.” He smiled at us both as he rose to his feet and pulled on his shirt. My gaze lingered on those rippling aps as his shirt slid into place, hiding them from view. I then noticed his gaze locked on my feet. “Have you two been without shoes this whole time? Come, there is a sh
A dainty arm wrapped around me and I gripped the hand, hugging it close to my chest as morning light streamed through the canvas of the tent. The warm body pressed against my back and I longed for a warm bed so Makya could press me into it. I kissed the fingers gently, wishing for so much more, but the hard floor of a tent, in the cold of winter was not my idea of a good time. And soon enough we would be back home and we could find his bed and enjoy the warmth of his cabin.“Eileen?” a soft groggy voice asked, the hand pulling away from me slightly. A feminine voice. NOT Makya.I froze, a sense of horror and shock gripping me as I slowly opened my eyes and glanced down at the hand I held. Definitely female, and not Makya’s native tan. I did my best to pretend nothing had happened, “Morning Kiara.”“Where are we?” she asked, sitting up and rubbing her eyes, apparently unperturbed by anything I had done.“I ho
Out of the dense forest, wolves began appearing. We pulled up short as they surrounded us.‘Follow us if you want to live.’ We heard over the mental tether. It was a strange dialect, clearly not the same as that of the Clearwater pack. These must be members of the glacier pack Arvin had yelled about.‘Why should we trust you?’One of the larger wolves stepped forward. He had a gray coat, not the black I had seen in Arvin’s wolves. ‘For now, don’t. simply trust that we are more interested in causing the Clearwater pack issues that we care about you. Removing you from their care is simply the easiest way to piss them off.’We glanced at Sierra/Kiara and made our decision. We all needed time to recover, and so long as this other pack didn’t try anything right off, perhaps we would get the day or two we needed to be at full strength. The fact these wolves were not the solid